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Start Over Author "Conca, P." Journal international journal of immunopathology and pharmacology
7 results on '"Conca, P."'

6. Does Spleen Volume Play a Role in Patients with HCV-Related Chronic Hepatitis?

Author

Antonio Riccio, Francesco Scopacasa, Ernesto Grimaldi, D. Chianese, M. N. D. Di Minno, Domenico Capone, Marianna Tarantino, Paolo Conca, Giovanni Tarantino, Tarantino, Giovanni, Conca, P, Tarantino, M, DI MINNO, matteo nicola dario, Grimaldi, E, Chianese, D, Riccio, A, Scopacasa, FRANCESCO UMBERTO VITTOR, and Capone, D.

Subjects
Male, Splenic artery, medicine.disease_cause, Gastroenterology, Polyethylene Glycols, chemistry.chemical_compound, Interferon, Immunology and Allergy, Prospective Studies, lymphotropism, Organ Size, Hepatitis C, Middle Aged, Recombinant Proteins, Treatment Outcome, medicine.anatomical_structure, HCV, Drug Therapy, Combination, Female, medicine.drug, Adult, medicine.medical_specialty, Hepatitis C virus, Immunology, spleen volume, Spleen, Interferon alpha-2, Antiviral Agents, Young Adult, Pharmacotherapy, medicine.artery, Internal medicine, Ribavirin, medicine, Humans, Pharmacology, business.industry, Interferon-alpha, Ultrasonography, Doppler, Hepatitis C, Chronic, medicine.disease, beta2-microglobulin, Regimen, Cross-Sectional Studies, chemistry, Vascular Resistance, beta 2-Microglobulin, business, Splenic Artery, Biomarkers
Abstract

As the lymphotropism of hepatitis C virus (HCV) has already been ascertained, and in the light of the fact that the immune defense system is an organized network composed of functionally interrelated tissues, this study was carried out to verify the possible involvement of spleen in HCV-related chronic hepatitis. In this cross-sectional study we measured spleen longitudinal diameter by ultrasound, beta2-microglobulin serum levels and splenic artery resistivity index (SARI) by Doppler in 51 patients treated with standard combined (Peg-Interferon plus Ribavirin) antiviral therapy. Thirty-three patients (17 females) completed the regimen and were compared to 31 controls (16 females). The mean basal values of spleen longitudinal diameter were higher in patients with chronic hepatitis than in controls, i.e., 116 mm (9.4) versus 102.7 mm (9.3), P = 0.0001. In the same patients a significant trend towards increased spleen longitudinal diameter was found after antiviral therapy, independently of the stage of HCV-related chronic hepatitis. The median values of the beta2-microglobulin concentrations were not significantly higher in the patients with HCV-related chronic hepatitis compared to controls, i.e., 1.3 (0.5 – 2.6) versus 1 (0.6 – 1.4), P = 0.16, although during the course of therapy they were significantly increased. SARI values of HCV-related chronic hepatitis patients were different from those of controls, but were unvaried compared to values at the end of treatment. Neither spleen measurements nor serum beta2-microglobulin levels were able to predict therapeutic response to antiviral therapy. A stimulation/ expansion of lymphoid tissue was found in patients with HCV-related chronic hepatitis. Such evidence raises the question whether physicians should continue to prescribe antiviral therapy in non-responders and supports the use of a new scheme (SLD plus β2-MG) to diagnose this ongoing, apparently reversible but nevertheless dangerous immunologic process.

Published
2009
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7. Hepatic and peripheral T-lymphocyte patterns in patients with chronic hepatitis C infection: what correlation with histological activity?

Author

Perrella A, Perrella O, Sbreglia C, Conca P, and Tarantino G

Abstract

The immunopathological processes involved in hepatic damage during chronic hepatitis C infection are not fully understood. Several works suggest the role of T helper 1 (Th1) immune response in both injury and fibrinogenesis. in this study, we have analyzed peripheral and intrahepatic T-lymphocyte subsets in liver biopsy specimens of 13 patients with definite chronic hepatitis C (CHC) to explore the possible direct role of these patterns in the evolution of necrotic inflammation and fibrogenesis scored according to the Knodell histological activity index. in particular, we have studied CD4+/CD7+ T-lymphocytes, as phenotypic marker of Th1 immune response, CD4+/CD7- as Th2 marker, and CD8+/CD38 as activated CD8+ lymphocytes. on statistical analyses we found a significant negative correlation in liver CD8+/CD38+ T-cells grading (r= -0.607; p<0.05) and staging index (r= -0.650; p<0.05) and between CD4+/CD7+ and grading (r= -0.626; p<0.05) index. in addition, we found a positive strong correlation between CD38+/CD8+ and CD4+/CD7+ T cells (r= 0.783; p<0.05) in liver tissue and between peripheral and liver resident CD8+/CD38+ (r= 683; p<0.05). moreover, the hepatic CD4+/CD7+ T-cells showed a positive correlation with peripheral CD 8+/CD38+ T-cells (r= 0.676; p<0.05). A strong positive correlation was also observed between grading and staging index (r= 0.921; p<0.01). we found no statistical correlation between the above variables and CD4+/CD7- T cells. our data could suggest that a preferential hepatic CD4+/CD7+ OR CD8+/CD38+ T cell subset was not directly associated with hepatic damage but, on the contrary, it could have been able to block liver injury. Concerning the peripheral subsets, the only CD8+/CD 38+ T-cells result reflect the CTL activity in the liver tissue. further studies are required to better understand the possible correlation between peripheral and liver resident T-helper, subset and other hepatic resident immunocompetent cells.

Published
2001

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